Michael Del Gardo,Life and the Accordion

Common Chords By Randall Hill

Michael Del Gardo

A thick dark strand of hair falls from the ponytail and over the forehead of Michael Del Gardo as he squeezes an emphasized note from his accordion last Friday evening at Villa Romana restaurant in Myrtle Beach. He leans in close and grimaces, as the note seems to resonate across the table of tourists and by their plates of spaghetti.

The large musical breastplate nearly covers the upper portion of the musician’s body as he moves on and plays an Italian love song for Michael and Susan Cioaco of Murrells Inlet. The longtime customers are celebrating their 38^th wedding anniversary on this summer evening and are sharing a chocolate desert by candlelight.

Del Gardo’s goal is to greet each patron of the Italian eatery and use his instrument like a friendly handshake or maybe a kiss on the cheek.

“I’ve always played,” he said while holding the heavy instrument on his lap with little effort.
“I don’t remember not playing, I don’t remember learning how to play the accordion. It’s just something I do.”

Nowadays, Del Gardo is repeating the techniques he learned as a little boy urged on by his grandfather, Giacinto Marcon, and father, Ralph Del Gardo, in Summit Hill, Pa., in the early 1960s. Marcon would take the child prodigy proudly to neighbors’ porches to show off the young Del Gardo’s talents.

“I’m like 5-years-old and I’m entertaining people. I got hooked early.”

For the better part of 24 years, Villa Romana has been Del Gardo’s constant gig -- novelty most accordion players can only wish for.

“I have a joke,” as a smile grows on his face. “You know the difference between pizza and an accordion player? A pizza can feed a family of four.”

The smile grows wider, then the musician adds in retrospect. “Well, I can feed a family of four, I’ve just beaten the odds on that one.”

The constant job and his music have more meaning to Del Gardo these days. He and his wife Andrea share a life together with their two children in Socastee and like us all share the challenges in today’s weakened economy.

“I play love songs better now than I ever did.” He said when asked about the passion of his instrument. “That’s directly caused by falling in love.”

Posted by
Randall Hill

Watch a music video of Michael performing the Italian classic "Oh' Marie" and his version of The Beatles classic "Eleanor Rigby".

Listen to audio clips of Michael Del Gardo performing.

Oh' Marie

Eleanor Rigby

Boogie Woogie on a Squeeze Box

We are the Champions